On top of the Chinese Buddha's head is a formation that, though it appears like a bowl, is really a rendition of the usnisa: the crown chakra. The usnisa all but disappeared in Japanese Buddhas, evident in the relatively flat-topped Kamakura Buddha.

The Kamakura Buddha thus illustrates how Japanese culture simplified the image of Buddha. The Chinese bronze statue, and many other Chinese Buddha images, are comparatively ornate when viewed alongside similar Japanese Buddhas. In the Chinese statue, Buddha sits on a platform flanked by two guardian beasts like lions or dogs. Such imagery is rare in Japanese renditions of Buddha. The Kamakura Buddha sits only on the stone platform built for the statue; there is no bronze carved platform whatsoever. This possibly indicates the Buddha's absolute simplicity and grounding.

Moreover, the Kamakura Buddha looks stunningly solid. Wide shoulders, paralleled by the folded legs, give an aura of strength and...
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